Camp Rucker Bakery and Commissary

Camp Rucker Bakery and Commissary. . The Bakery was first described in Camp records in May, 1879. It was a log building with an earth roof and an adjacent guardhouse. The nearby storehouse (commissary) was a stockaded tent structure with vertical log walls and a canvas tent roof. In May, 1880, a permanent building program was begun to replace the existing tent and log structures. By July the Commissary, or storehouse, was completed. It had adobe walls, a stone-walled cellar and a shingled roof. , Camp Commander Captain MacGowan reported in October 1880: , “The Storehouse and Cellar is excellent, but the doors and windows have not been put in for want of window sashes – bolts – hinges and locks – all of which have been required for from the Q.M. Dept. but though months have expired, they have not yet been received. These articles are absolutely required, to preserve the Stores from damage on account of weather, and to secure them from theft.” , An adobe bake house with no windows was completed in the fall. The bread was described as being “good” or “very good”. , Records indicate that Camp Rucker was either undersupplied or oversupplied with provisions. Captain Madder, reported in September, 1878: , “There is no flour, beans, or sugar at this camp for issue, The wearabouts 'of pack train' with supplies for here are not known. What is to be done?” , The shortage was evidently taken care of, because in the winter of 1879, the Post Commander wrote Department Headquarters: , “I have over 18,000 rations of bacon and pork on hand, and nearly 7,000 rations in route, which were not required.” , The situation changed again as Captain MacGowan wrote in July, 1880: , “I have the honor to request that the ration of bread at this post be increased to twenty-two ounces – as there are no vegetables at the post.” , The Commissary continued in use after abandonment of Camp Rucker when it was converted to a home for the ranch owners. Unfortunately, it burned in 1921. The owners, Charles and Mary Rak, moved most of the remaining adobe walls to a nearby frame house for additional protection from the winter cold. Today, only a wall corner and the foundation remain. , The Bakehouse was eventually used for other purposes. Windows were added, and the oven was removed. The outline of the oven is still evident today. The walls of the Bakery are original, however, the roof has been replaced to help preserve the structure.